Stylish Canadian monkey triggers Internet frenzy

In this Sunday, Dec 9, 2012 photo provided by Bronwyn Page, a small monkey wearing a winter coat and a diaper wanders around at an IKEA in Toronto. The monkey let itself out of its crate in a parked car and went for a walk. The animal's owner contacted police later in the day and was reunited with their pet, police said. -- PHOTO : AP

OTTAWA (AFP) - A stylishly-attired monkey became an instant Internet celebrity, and triggered an animal welfare investigation, when it was found wandering in a Canadian furniture store car park.

The months-old rhesus macaque, named Darwin, spent the night at an animal shelter in Toronto after he was found wandering around an Ikea lot wearing a sheepskin coat on Sunday afternoon.

Darwin apparently opened his crate and the door of his owner's vehicle and went for a stroll. His adventure, however, didn't stop there.

Snap-happy Canadians took photographs of the cute critter and posted them online and Darwin immediately became a viral sensation on social media.